Manx Quilt Square...

I've been itching to stitch up something with fabric for weeks.  As I was dragging my feet with the Celtic knots, I came across the Manx quilt block.

The Manx block is very similar to the Log Cabin quilt pattern in construction and its final look, and it also has some similarities to Kawandi stitching.  Having a bunch of coordinating blue fabrics that I brought home from my mother-in-law's home (five years ago, now!) I decided this would be the responsible choice for making something Manx.  

Unlike the Kawandi, that starts on the outside and goes around in a spiral toward the center, the Manx square starts in the center and fabric is laid in a spiral toward the outside edges:

Normally a Manx square is not made with batting of any sort, but not sure if I'd make more than one, I decided to make this as a hot pad, so I pieced together some leftover batting (of my late MIL's) and set to work.

Similar to making a Kawandi, the stitching is traditionally done by hand, stitching one piece of fabric on top of another, all stitched directly to a backing fabric - creating a quilt-as-you-go construction.  But that's where the similarity to Kawandi ends.  In a Manx square, the strips are stitched on with the front sides of each fabric strip facing, and after stitching, the fabric strip is folded up to create a pleat.  For anyone interested in more detail or greater clarity, I will provide some links to tutorials at the end of this post.  This is not a tutorial.

Other than the fact that I needed to stop and think about everything as I made this first Manx block, it was actually pretty quick work.  

Unfortunately, and I don't know why, the stitched-on pieces started going wonky.

I could tell it was happening by the second round of strips, but I didn't know just how badly it wonked until I was finished.  Fortunately, I started with a larger-than-needed backing fabric, so I could trim it more or less square (if not on grain).

And still with enough backing fabric left, I was able to fold forward the backing and create a binding for the square.  For ease and precision, I machine-stitched the binding.

It's actually not completely square, but you can't tell from the picture, and I doubt you'd notice it right off if you were looking directly at it.  I have to admit, even though it isn't perfect, I am pretty pleased with my first hand-stitched, (except for the binding) Manx square.  

While the fabric strips are stitched on in the same order as a Log Cabin square, you can see that this Manx block actually forms pleats, instead of the flat piece of fabric that is created with traditionally pieced together strips of fabric for a Log Cabin.

The dimension created by the pleats is what makes the Manx square special.

And like the Kawandi, when you're done stitching the block, your quilting is also done.

With the square finished, but not being sure how those pleats would come through machine laundering, I washed and dried it with jeans, thinking that would provide plenty of agitation, and opportunity for the pleats to get messed up.

I'm happy to say, it came through the machines perfectly crinkled and wavy like any other cotton quilt comes through the wash.  Most importantly, the pleats were not mangled:

Before washing & drying ↑

↓ After washing & drying 

Before ↑

↓ After 

Before ↑

↓ After 

Before ↑

↓ After

Yep, I'm sold.  It's a fun pattern to stitch, it's a great use of scrap fabric, and it comes through machine laundering like any other cotton quilt.

So I've set myself to making another block - this time, more in keeping with a traditional Manx square with no batting between the layers.

Time will tell how many more I'll make.  A wall-hanging's worth?  A blanket's worth?  We'll see.  And when I start joining them, I'll be back to show pictures of that.

Meanwhile, if you're interested in checking out some resources I found helpful, here you go:

Jackie Loos - JunkGal63Studio (video) :  

How to Make a Modern Manx Quilt Block with Fabric Scraps

k3nclothtales (video):

Manx Quilting - Making Blocks

Ice Bear Quilts (Blog)

Manx Log Cabin - A Special Technique

Diary of a Quilter (Blog)

How to Make A Manx Quilt Block

There are other resources online. I only posted a few of the ones I visited (and revisted) before and after I started stitching.

Now - off to make more Manx squares!

Celtic knots are finished...

 Finally!    

I don't know why, but my feet just drug as I thought about working on these cross stitched knots the last few weeks.  Days and sometimes weeks went by when I didn't even feel like picking them up for some reason.

I'm pleased with the stitching part, but I'm not sure how I feel about the finishing part.

Thinking they were a little too bland as plain pillows, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby to see if I could find a trim that might perk them up.  I didn't have any luck with the trim, but I did come home with some fabric for an upcoming project!  More on that another time.

Back at home, I remembered once upon a time I had bought a cord-making gadget.   Of course!  I had plenty of floss - I could make my own trim!  Fortunately, once I remembered I had it, I remembered exactly where I had put it when I unpacked my craft supplies three and a half years ago.

Following the instructions that came with the Kreinik Custom Corder, I made the first cord in the two green colors I'd stitched the first knot in.

In the picture, the trim is hardly noticeable.  In person, it's more obvious, but it's underwhelming.  Clearly, I didn't use enough strands of floss.   But did I want to make it over?  No I really did not.  At least not until I made thicker cording for the second pillow - to my mind, it made sense to experiment on the second unfinished pillow before ripping out what had been done on the first one. And I figured watching a few tutorials wasn't a bad idea, either.

Ok... that's better, but I wish I had just used one of the colors this time.  The light and dark gold twisted together is a little busy.  But did I want to make it over?  No. I really really did not.

It isn't that the Kreinik is exactly hard to use, but the printed instructions are too brief, and I didn't find it as easy to use as the tutorials made it appear to be.  It didn't help that every tutorial I watched added some slightly different technique.  I also now know I used too-long strands of floss and it became unwieldy.  I needed Hub to come and hold one end while I kept my end taut (thankfully, I have long arms) as I slid the Kreinik to the middle and let it drop - to twist the cord back on itself.  One of these days, when I'm under no pressure to finish a project, I will play around with it and perhaps get the hang of it more easily. 

For now, I'm happy to be finished with this project that took way too long for what it was.  Someday I may remake the cording on the green knot pillow, but for now I'm relieved to call it done.  

Chances are, I'll be perfectly fine with its imperfectness and never change it.

Outside the back door...

I'm happy to say, after a slow start, the garden seems to be thriving.  After a gorgeous, if very wet, spring we're now consistently in the 80's and 90's (mostly 90's), but rain happens every few days.  In recent years, we've had drought conditions by this time of year (lasting into August), so the rain is welcome.

With no tomatoes, it feels like a much less ambitious garden than last year's.  This summer, it's green beans, cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash, sunflowers, watermelon, pumpkin, and mini pumpkins.

I've had to replant green beans a few times, but I think the bunnies are done munching on the fresh young leaves.  Blood meal appeared to help early on with deterring the freeloaders.  And I have bone meal waiting in the wings to use (if needed) once the flowering starts.   

Recently, on a whim, I bought some new-to-me Goldrush yellow (bush) beans, and planted some in planters yesterday. I'm curious if anyone reading has experience with these.  I'm looking forward to trying them.

I'm not sure why I planted so many sunflowers, but hopefully they'll put on a show soon and remind me.  

Garlic was harvested last week, and are drying in the detached garage.

 

Twenty-two heads of garlic don't look like that many - especially considering I'm making plans to plant this many and more come late autumn from what I've harvested above.    

Growing garlic is a new experience for me.  So far, it's been the simplest thing I've ever grown. In my zone, hardneck grows best, from what I've read.  Instructions online say to dry for 3-4 weeks before using.  Waiting patiently to cut into these cloves is the most challenging part of growing garlic, from what I can tell.

And the first sign of produce planted in the spring has presented itself this week. 

Hopefully this prickly little cucumber will soon grow big enough to find its way into a dinner salad. 

~~~~~

In the challenge category, the last two summers, sedum along the back of the house has succumbed to what appears to be powdery mildew.

This plant isn't in a spot where I even notice it much before this happens. I'm thinking of cutting it down and disposing of it this year, and just hope to catch the blight earlier next summer and apply some homemade treatment to see if that can keep it at bay.

And, to our surprise, and probably the most interesting thing in this post, a couple of nights ago we discovered we have a family of racoons that are attracted to our birdfeeders.  I had heard a little noise out there for a couple of nights before, but figured it was a stray cat and didn't bother to look. This time, I turned on the security light and took a peek.

Yikes!  There were five in total.  We assume it was a mama and her four cubs rooting around in the day lilies searching for any scraps of sunflower seeds that had fallen from the feeders.  

Tapping on the window didn't faze this one. 

So, the birdfeeders are removed and our bird watching is on pause while we hope these varmints move on and find something more substantial out in the wild, or in the farm fields that back up to some of our neighbors. 

Meanwhile, we suspect we've discovered the culprit to one of our neighbors' recently missing koi fish.

~~~~~

Year of Projects 2024-2025 Roundup!

In my post yesterday I explained the internet problems we've been having, so let me just jump to the point of this post and say that I know this Year of Projects Roundup post is a week late.  It just wasn't possible for me to post last Sunday.  

That said, since I don't make any plans for my upcoming Year Of Projects, there's not a lot for me to write in this first post of a new YOP year anyway, so I guess it works out this time.

Let me tell you though... I felt sad last week not being able to create my favorite post of the whole year.  But this weekend, going back through all the things I've made in a year's time was a great mood-lifter.  Looking back at a record of things I've made in the last 12 months is encouraging.  And almost always, I get a nice surprise when I come across some things I had pretty much forgotten about.

So settle in for a scroll down memory lane.  Or just click through the pictures.  I promise I won't mind.  Or even know, for that matter.  

I started the past YOP year finishing up a small (14") Kawandi:

I've had the itch ever since to make another, larger one. I'm just not sure how large a kawandi I have the stick-to-it-iveness to finish. 

Just like in years past, when I put aside thick afghan yarn, I once again turned to my crochet thread to make doilies.  All but the last large doily are from the book, 99 Little Doilies by Patricia Kristofferson.  Kristofferson only assigns these doilies a number, but I usually feel compelled to give them a name.

🠅 Old Fashioned Sunday 🠇

Herb Garden

Not My First Rodeo

Carousel

I found it interesting that the same doily pattern made months later in a different color inspired a completely different name:

Crinoline

Chernozem

Windmill 

Lead Rosette 

And a favorite larger doily pattern was unearthed and made again:

Autumn Splendor 

Before winter's blast, hat making skills were dusted off:

With hats handed off, my first Dahlia blanket that I had started in the spring was finished:

I enjoyed making it so much, I almost immediately began another:

And before the chill of winter was truly over, a Granny Goes Large blanket was completed:

Somewhere in the mix of blankets and doilies, yarny baskets were crocheted:

I loved how these turned out, and would like to make more, but my neck was so sore after making these, I've been hesitant to give them a go again.  

Three and a half years after moving into this house, I finally sewed up some decent curtains for the laundry room:

I pulled out two sweet cross stitch projects I began in 2020 and finished them into mini pillows:

Actively ongoing:

In quiet, tired hours I've knit dozens of dish/wash cloths

and started a many-pieced hexagon blanket:

and the cross stitched Celtic knots I started a month ago are just about finished:

And that is the end of my 2024-2025 Year of Projects!  

Thank you for taking a look!